Pokémon Has a Spooky Side: The 5 Creepiest Pokédex Entries

Pokémon is renowned for its child-friendly appeal, with all its mainline games receiving an E for Everyone rating, inviting young players into its vibrant universe. While beloved characters like Pikachu and Eevee often take the spotlight, the franchise also harbors some darker elements within its roster of pocket monsters. Some Pokédex entries delve into chilling tales of abductions and even murders, weaving horror stories into the fabric of the game.

IGN has highlighted what we consider the five creepiest Pokédex entries, though these are just a few among many. Honorable mentions include Mimikyu, a Pokémon so ghastly it masquerades as Pikachu to attract friends, all while plotting against the mascot; Haunter, which stealthily follows humans into dark alleys, only to lick them and induce fatal convulsions; and Hypno, notorious in the Pokémon children's show for hypnotizing and abducting kids to consume their dreams.

It was finally Friday, and the young girl from Floaroma Town couldn't contain her excitement. She eagerly rushed through breakfast, eager to start the weekend's flower picking. The annual event was her favorite, and she longed for the school day to end so she could spend time laughing and smiling with her parents. She sprinted towards the Valley Windworks, a place known for its unique flowers, despite knowing the dangers of venturing out alone without a Pokémon. Yet, she believed the area to be the safest and most serene in Sinnoh.

Upon arrival, the girl was greeted by a sea of pink, yellow, and red blooms. Yet, her attention was captured by a more enchanting sight: a shimmering, purple balloon drifting in the breeze. Captivated, she reached for its string, only to be startled when the balloon turned to face her with a large yellow cross and two empty black eyes. It tugged gently, and she followed, giggling at first. But as the balloon pulled her higher and further away, the string wrapped tightly around her wrist. The girl, neither too heavy nor too rough, was led away, never to be seen again.

Drifloon, the Balloon Pokémon, infuses a chilling twist into the innocent image of a child's plaything. While some of its Pokédex entries are mild, noting it's formed by the spirits of people and Pokémon, others delve into darker territory. "It tugs on the hands of children to steal them away," warns one entry. "Any child who mistakes Drifloon for a balloon and holds on to it could wind up missing," cautions another. A third adds, "Its round body is stuffed with souls and expands each time it leads someone away." Drifloon's mysterious appearances only on Fridays at the Valley Windworks in Diamond and Pearl, combined with its ominous Pokédex entries, transform curiosity into a haunting tale of disappearance.

Banette

The boy's parents watched helplessly as his condition worsened. His fever spiked, his skin turned grey, and his speech became unintelligible. Despite consultations with the best doctors from Mauville and Slateport, his health deteriorated. In a fleeting moment of clarity, the boy whispered, "My doll." Desperate, his parents presented him with various toys from his collection, including Pikachu, Lotad, Skitty, and Treecko, but he rejected them all.

Confused, the parents searched every corner of their home, finally discovering a faded, ragged doll with glowing red eyes and a golden zipper mouth under the bed. The mother recognized it as a doll she had discarded years ago, replaced by newer Poké Dolls from Lilycove. The doll, now damp, damaged, and covered in sharp pins, seemed to stare back at her as she retrieved it. The boy reached for it, and as he did, the doll leaped from her hands and out the window. To their astonishment, the boy's condition seemed to improve slightly.

Even Pokémon isn't immune to classic horror tropes in its family-friendly games. Banette, the Marionette Pokémon, is reminiscent of Annabelle or Chucky, embodying the vengeful spirit of a discarded toy. "A doll that became a Pokémon over its grudge from being junked. It seeks the child that disowned it," reads one entry. Another states, "This Pokémon developed from an abandoned doll that amassed a grudge. It is seen in dark alleys." A third entry is more explicit: "It’s a stuffed toy that was thrown away and became possessed, ever searching for the one who threw it away so it can exact its revenge." Banette inflicts harm by sticking pins into itself, which causes pain to the child it seeks. Only by unzipping its wide smile or treating it with love again can its negative energy be dispelled.

Sandygast

It was a perfect summer's day on Melemele Island, where residents enjoyed the sun at Big Wave Beach. Some surfed, others sunbathed, and children built sandcastles. As the sun set, a determined boy remained, focused on perfecting his grand sandcastle. Unbeknownst to him, the other sandcastles began to shift and morph, casting long shadows as the boy finally noticed the movement behind him.

Turning around, he faced a Pokémon resembling a sandcastle, complete with a gaping mouth and soulless eyes. Assuming it was friendly, the boy reached for a red spade embedded in its head, only to have his hand swallowed whole. He screamed and tried to pull away, but the Pokémon, like quicksand, consumed his entire arm, and eventually his whole body.

Contrary to the joyful associations with sandcastles, Sandygast harbors a sinister nature. "If you build sand mounds when you’re playing, destroy them before you go home, or they may get possessed and become Sandygast," warns one entry. Another reveals, "Sandygast mainly inhabits beaches. It takes control of anyone who puts their hand into its mouth, forcing them to make its body bigger." The true horror unfolds when Sandygast evolves into Palossand, whose entries note, "Palossand is known as the Beach Nightmare. It pulls its prey down into the sand by controlling the sand itself, and then it sucks out their souls." Both Sandygast and Palossand feed on children to grow stronger, with another entry confirming, "Buried beneath the castle are masses of dried-up bones from those whose vitality it has drained."

Frillish

The busy season had ended, and the old woman relished her peaceful morning swim in Undella Town. She preferred the quieter times, even if the water was cooler. Having swum these shores for 70 years, she wasn't about to stop now. Despite the choppy waves, she swam with unexpected vigor, only realizing later she had drifted too far from the shore.

As she attempted to return, the current pulled her further out. Exhausted, she paused to catch her breath, making little progress. Then, a Pokémon surfaced inches from her face. Assuming it was there to help, she grasped it, and it held her in return. For a moment, she felt relief, but as she tried to swim back, she found herself immobilized. Paralyzed, she watched helplessly as the Pokémon began to sink, dragging her to the ocean floor.

Frillish, the Floating Pokémon, conceals a deadly nature behind its simple appearance. Leveraging common fears of the unknown ocean depths, Frillish hunts from its underwater lair. "With its thin, veil-like arms wrapped around the body of its opponent, it sinks to the ocean floor," describes one entry. Another reveals, "Its thin, veil-like arms have tens of thousands of poisonous stingers. They paralyze prey with poison, then drag them down to their lairs, five miles below the surface." Frillish's victims remain conscious as they are pulled to their watery graves, fully aware of their impending doom.

Froslass

He knew he shouldn't have ventured out, especially during a blizzard on the mountain. Yet, the sound of a woman crying and a knock at his door compelled him to search. Bundled up, he stepped into the blinding storm, quickly losing his bearings.

Relieved to find a cave, he ducked inside, seeking refuge from the relentless cold. Inside, the air was unnaturally frigid, but it was better than facing the blizzard. Lighting a lantern, he discovered the cave's walls encased in ice, and as he peered closer, he saw not just ice, but bodies frozen within. Startled, he realized one of the faces was not his reflection but that of another man, trapped in the ice. As he turned to flee, an icy Pokémon blocked his path. It exhaled a freezing breath, enveloping him in ice, turning him into another decoration in its chilling lair.

Froslass embodies the myths of the Japanese Yōkai Yuki-onna and the Greek Medusa. "The soul of a woman lost on a snowy mountain possessed an icicle, becoming this Pokémon. The food it most relishes is the souls of men," states one entry. "It freezes hikers who have come to climb snowy mountains and carries them back to its home. It only goes after men it thinks are handsome," another explains. Further entries describe how Froslass lures victims during blizzards, dragging them to its den to line them up as "decorations." The chilling nature of Froslass is undeniable, blending folklore with a terrifying reality.